Chain and sprocket-wheel



No. 6I6,072. Patented Dec. 20, I898. H. W. BRADLEY.

CHAIN AND SPROGKET WHEEL.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES OFFICE.

PATENT IIAZEN V. BRADLEY, OF ILION, NEYV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN AND SPROCKET-WH-EEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,07 dated December 1898- Application filed April 21, 1898. Serial No. 678,367. (No model.)

To all whom it 71mg concern-.-

Be it known that I, HAZEN W. BRADLEY, of Ilion, in the county of l-Ierkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Chains and Sprocket- WVheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side View of my improved sprocket-wheel in conneclion with a section of my improved chain. Fig. 2 shows a side of the chain. Fig. 3 shows a plan of a portion of the chain. Fig. 4 shows a cross-section taken on line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows an edge View of the sprocketwheel. Fig. 6 shows a cross-section, except rivet, taken on line 0 D of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 shows a similar cross-section of a modified form of construction. Fig. -8 shows a crosssection of the chain, taken on line E F of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 shows a cross-section of a modified form of chain, taken on line G H of Fig. 11. Fig. 10 shows a similar cross-section of another modified form of chain. Fig. 11 shows a plan of a section of chain of the form of construction shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 shows a side view of same.

Referring to the reference characters in a more particular description, 1 indicates'the sprocket-wheel, which, as shown, is about double the size of a sprocket-pinion such as would be used on the drive-wheel of an ordinary bicycle.

2 indicates the chain, which is shown proportionately large.

The wheel is provided with a peripheral groove 3, which divides each of the sprocketteeth 4. into two parts, and the groove 3 ex tends to a point below the base of the sprocketteeth, as indicated by the dotted line 5.

The chain consists of a train of flat links 6, adapted to be received in the groove 3 of the sprocket-wheel, and side pairs of fiat connecting and driving links 7 7. The middle or center links, as well as the side links, are pro vided with circular headlike ends with re duced connecting portions, and the side and middle links are preferably made of substantially the same thickness of material. In the substantially central openings in the ends of the middle links 6 are rigidly secured trans verse pins or rivets 8 S, &c., held against rotation or turning in the link. On the oppositely-projecting portions of the pins or rivets 8 are engaged the ends of the side pairs of links 7 7 in a manner which permits them to turn freely on the rivet. The rivet-opening in the links 7 is also preferably substantially central with the circular head-like end, and the side links may be secured by slightly heading the ends of the rivets, as shown.

In the form of construction of chain as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4t, 6, and 8 the headlike ends of the links 6 are of larger diameter than the meeting ends of the links 7 7. This permits the use of thinner material in the middle links without reducing the tensile strength of the chain.

The peripheral groove 3 of the sprocketwheel receives and holds the links 6 laterally, and by extending below the base of the sprocket-teeth permits the use of the enlarged heads of the middle links without interfering with the proper travel of the chain. In the construction as shown in the said several figures the depth of groove 3 is sufficient to receive the enlarged ends of the middle links. The heads of the links come to a bearing in the bottom of the groove. The chain is supported, however, in the main by the side links 7 7 resting on the wheel at l 1.

It will be noted that the opposite parts of the divided sprocket-teeth 4 engage simultaneously on the ends of the pairs of side links 7 7 instead of against the single end of a middle link, as in the ordinary chain and sprocketwheel. This,with the other features, is of importance in that a steadier-running chain than the ordinary is provided and one in which the side sway and vibration are reduced to a minimum, and thebearings as between the sprocket and chain are comparatively large, outside, and self-freeing, and a chain of minimum weight of material can be effectually employed. The middle links of this chain can be made from material of greatly-increased tensile strength as compared with those of ordinary construction-that is to say,

while the middle links of an ordinary chain are made from bar material rolled to form and in which the strain is transverse to the grain of the material the middle links of this chain can be more readily made from material in which the grain runs lengthwise of the link. A link is thus obtained having the desired tensile strength with a minimum of cross-section area.

In the form of construction of chain shown in Figs. 7, 9, 11, and 12 the diameter of the heads of the links 6 is proportionately reduced with reference to the heads of the side driving-links 7 7 of this construction. This reduction in diameter ought to be accompanied by an increase of thickness of the material of which the links are formed. hen this chain is used, there is a clearance afforded between the heads of the middle links and the bottom of the groove, as shown at a in Fig. 7. In this form or arrangement the chain is supported entirely bythe side links 7 7" resting on the wheel at the points 1 1. The same result may be attained when using the other chain by making the groove extend still farther below the base of the sprocket-teeth. The rivets being secured in the middle links throws the wear onto the outside links, where there are proportionately larger bearing-surfaces, and the chain will wear longer.

In Fig. 10 is shown a shouldered rivet 10, having an enlarged middle portion adapted to be received in the middle link and reduced end portions adapted to receive the side links. This rivet may or may not be rigidly secured against turning in the middle link. In case it is so secured the enlargement enables it to be secured more firmly, and in case it is permitted to be loose and form a bearingit tends to equalize the bearing-surfaces as between the middle and side links.

WVhat I claim as new, and by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a sprocket-wheel having a groove extending to a line below the base of the sprocket-teeth and a chain consisting of a set of having heads of lesser diameter.

2. The combination of a sprocket-wheel having a groove of substantially the same width extending from the ends of the sprocketteeth to a line below their base, and a chain having a train of middle flat links running in said groove with alternate pairs of side, driving-links engaging on their ends directly with the sprocket-teeth.

3. The combination of a sprocket-wheel having a peripheral groove dividing each sprocket-tooth, and a chain consisting of a train of flat, middle links fitting and running in said groove, and alternate pairs of side driving-links having rounded ends engaging directly with the sprocket-teeth.

In witness whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 16th day of April, 1898.

IIAZEN IV. BRADLEY.

desire to secure \Vitnesses:

WILFRID HARTLEY, J. E. COGGESHALL.

middle links and side links 

